Monday, October 24, 2011

So who is D'Oforilicious Blogster aka #TheAfricanDream?

Send us stories/ideas/emails/tips/media with: contact@oralofori.com
Network with #TheAfricanDream using:
YouTube
Google+
LinkedIn

Since we're yet to formally get acquainted, I thought I'd give you a sneak peek into who I really am just to prepare the grounds for our first formal (or should I say virtual) meeting. Here we go: I am a dark male who is 5'10 tall and have inhabited God's green earth for over three decades as of January 2010...Presently I'm a journalist writing for some local African newspapers in the USA. I studied with the London School of Journalism and completing an internship with the Voice Of America media network in Washington DC.

My purpose for blogging and founding oralofori.com aka #TheAfricanDream is to mainly talk about happenings of Africa and Africans in and out of the continent and how today's world is being positively impacted by people or things related to Africans. This said, I must confess that I am a little biased towards my home country Ghana, but I try to cover as many parts of Africa and Africans including non Africans as well. If you, someone or something you know needs highlighting then I am more than willing to be put to work for a good cause. I feel enough effort and work is being put into talking about the negatives of Africa and my effort here seeks to focus on the positives. 


Well, I was born in Ghana; a country on the West coast of Africa once colonized by the British and formerly called the Gold Coast by the Brits for obvious reasons. Just so you know, the word Ghana means 'Warrior King', from which I personally derive this resilience about my character that makes me rise to the occasion even in the face of adversities. I've been in the United States over half a decade from 2007 and I have mainly lived around MarylandVirginia, Washington DC Pennsylvania, Northern Carolina, Connecticut, Delaware and whatever areas my work takes me.

Back home in Ghana, I have both younger and older siblings and a bunch of nieces and nephews. I don't like pets but I can live with them. I do a lot of writing--obviously--I blog and also write poetry as a pastime whenever I get the opportunity. Today I occasionally produce and appear as a guest panel on some radio and TV programs that have Africa as a major theme, I also do jingles and voices. If you've gotten the time, kindly read my blog and feel free to share your opinion as well as invite others to do same, don't forget to join/like #TheAfricanDream on Twitter or Google+.


I also freelance for some Ghanaian news outlets both in the print and electronic media here in the USA and back home in Ghana. I must confess though the fees I earn sometimes from writing is meagre, yet on some (good) days I could earn pretty big bucks, writing is my passion and research is my mistress, together we've bourne some beautiful scripts, some of which will be featured here on this blog and others you will have to simply google my name to get acquainted with.


Reading happens to be one of my hobbies and my favorite reads include DECEPTION POINT and DAVINCI CODE/Dan Brown and THE LAST JUROR/John Grisham. I also love Chinua Achebe; one of the greatest writers to have come out of Africa. When it comes to music I go crazy, which is obvious since I have an eclectic choice on my iPod which I carry on me occasionally. I also love the scrabble board game and I can really be vicious if let lose during play, so before you start to think you could beat me at it, you should try it first!


I neither smoke nor drink and am not judgmental of people who do. Why yes, I have a keen sense of spirituality... and pray fervently but I am not religious. I am looking forward to making more of your readership, business and personal acquaintance so if you're interested in the work I churn out, kindly keep in touch and let me know you better maybe myself and the crew here could be of assistance in one way or the other.


Sincerely yours,

Oral


PS: I'm not rich... yet, but that doesn't limit my determination any much...because if I have to achieve a purpose, trust me, I make it happen somehow. I believe impossible is nothing! I also love photography and I have a 14 mega-pixel Panasonic digital camera with an 8x zoom plus a view finder, not fancy but just enough to feed my amateurish cravings in photography... I occasionally get high from exploring old towns and places wherever am at and the unoccupied parts of Ashaiman, a town outside Ghana's capital city of Accra.


Send us stories/ideas/emails/tips/media with: contact@oralofori.com